Ski boot toe fixture

ABSTRACT

A ski boot toe fixture comprises a base adapted to be fixed on the upper surface of a ski, a turntable member holding a ski boot toe, and a press connecting means connecting the base and the turntable member by resilient pressure. The turnable member is arranged on the base to turn relative to the base around a vertical pin. The ratio of the space between the vertical pin and the press connecting means to the space between the boot toe and the vertical pin is adjustable by an adjusting means which adjusts the force by which the boot toe is released.

United States Patent 1 Iiznka et al.

[54] SKI BOOT TOE FIXTURE [75] Inventors: Tokutaro Iizuka, v Sashigaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Yoshinari Mochizuki; ltabas'hi-ku, Tokyo, both of Japan [73] Assignee: Hope Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo,

. Japan [22] Filed: Nov. 27, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 93,232

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 28, 1969 Japan ..44/95064 Nov. 28, 1969 Japan ..44/95065 Feb. 10,1970 Japan ..45/l 1633 52 US. Cl. ..2s0 11.3s T [51] Int. Cl ..';....A63c 9/00 [58] Field of Search ..280/] 1.35 T

[ 1 May 15, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,406,981 lO/l968 Scheib ..280/l1.35 T

Primary Examiner-Benjamin Hersh Assistant Examiner-Robert R. Song A ttomey-Eliot S. Gerber 57 ABSTRACT A ski boot toe fixture comprises a base adapted to be .fixed on the upper surface of a ski, a turntable member holding a ski boot toe, and a press connecting means connecting the base and the turntable member by resilient pressure. The turnable member is arranged on the base to turn relative to the base around a vertic'al pin. The ratio of the space between the vertical pin and the press connecting means to the space between the boot toe and the vertical pin is adjustable by an adjusting means which adjusts the force by which the boot toe is released.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTED RAY I 5 I973 FIG. 2

TEDKUTAR #204 YOJH A Mac/W204? INVENTORS Qu- C SKI BOOT TOE FIXTURE The present invention relates to a metal fitting for a ski and more particularly relates to a ski boot toe fixture.

A ski boot toe fixture is usually fixed to the upper surface of a ski in order to settle a ski boot on the ski in cooperation with a ski boot heel binding which is also fixed to the ski. In a conventionally known ski boot toe fixture, there is provided a base plate to be fixed to a ski and a turnable member for holding the boot toe which is turnably provided on the base plate. A press connecting means, including, for example, a steel ball pressed by a spring, is provided between the base and the turnable member. According to this known structure, the turnable member turns laterally for disengage- -ment from the skiboot toe to protect a skier from accidents such as a sprain, when unreasonable force, stronger than the predetermined strength, is applied to the boot toe. The strength of the force by which the said disengagement is performed varies according to the skill of skiers. Usually a screw for adjusting the spring force of the press connecting means is provided. In this device, however, adjustment of the spring force is terri bly difficult for children and women since that force becomes larger as the screw is tightened more and more. On the other hand, it will cause inconvenience to purposely carry a means for screwing the screw. This device has another disadvantage that it is difficult to adjust the spring force accurately since the adjusting length is relatively short.

It is the objective of the present invention to provide a ski boot toe fixture which is easy to adjust and is adjustable accurately over a wide range.

According to the present invention, the ratio of the space between the boot toe received by a toe holding member and a connecting pin (fulcrum) to the space between the line of action of the spring force and said turnable pin, i.e., leverage, is adjusted instead of adjusting the spring force. By this construction, adjustment of the force by which the boot toe is released can be adjusted easily in a wide range.

In an embodiment of the present invention, said ratio is adjusted by setting the turnable pin at a suitable position between the line of action and the toeholding portion, while the latter two portions are respectively fixed and unchangeable. As the connecting pin comes near the boot toe holding portion, a stronger force is required to release the boot toe. A stopper is set up vertically on the fore portion of the base, so that the turnable member'is prevented from slipping forward. Therefore the connecting pin need not be tightened specially.

A fuller understanding of the present invention and its objectives and features may be had from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the similar parts are represented by the same reference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a embodiment of the present invention prior to its assembly; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the same after its assembly;

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ski boot toe fixture comprises basically a base plate 10, a turnable member 20 for holding the boot toe, a press connecting means 30, and a connecting pin 40,

The base 10 is provided with a pair of through holes 1 1. The base 10 is adapted to be fixed on the upper surface of the ski by means of wood screws (not shown) which penetrate through the holes 11. The base 10 has also an elongated hole 12 along the longitudinal central line thereof and a depression 13 for receiving a steel ball 31, which will be described hereafter, at the front upper surface thereof.

The turnable member 20 comprises a box-shaped casing 21 enclosing hollow space and boot toe holding portion 22 overhanging in two directions from the upper rear end portion thereof. The turnable member 20 includes an elongated hole 23 which will be in the same vertical plane as the elongated hole 12 of the base 10 when the turnable member 20 is put on the base 10 with the front end thereof leaning against the stopper 14. .T he turnable member 20 further includes an integral cylindrical member 24 in the front interior thereof.

The press connecting means 30 comprises a steel ball 31 and a spring 32 for pressing the ball 31, which are housed within the cylindrical member 24 as shown best in FIG. 2. Usually the steel ball 31 is fitted in the depression 13 of the base 10 for connecting the turnable member 20 and the base 10.

The connecting pin 40 comprises a head portion 41, a shank portion 42, lower threaded portion 43, and crushable bottom portion 44. The pin 40 is penetrated through the elongated hole 23 of the turnable member 20 and the elongated hole 12 of the base 10. Thereafter a nut 45 is screwed on the threaded portion 43, and the crushable portion 44 is crushed so that the nut 45 may not slip out.

In operation, the pin 40 is turned to loosen the threaded portion 43 from the nut 45 by pinching the head portion 41 with fingers, and the pin 40 is moved forward or rearward along the elongated holes 12 and 23. After the pin 40 is set at the proper position, the pin 40 is settled by turning the pin 40 into engagement with the nut 45. In this case too, the pin 40 need not be in especially tight engagement with the nut 45, as the stopper l4 prevents the turning member 20 from slipping forward.

We claim:

I. A ski boot toe fixture comprising a base adapted to be fixed on the upper surface of a ski, a turnable member for holding a boot toe, said turnable member being arranged on said base and turnable around a vertical pin relative to the base, a connecting means interposed between said base and said turnable member to connect the base and the turnable member by means of resilient pressure, and a means for adjusting the ratio of the space between the axis of said vertical pin and said connecting means to the space between the position at which the boot toe is held and said axis of said vertical pin, wherein said base has a depression and a longitudinally elongated hole, said turnable member comprises a casing and a boot toe holding means, said casing enclosing an elongated hollow space and a cylindrical member, and the top surface of said casing being provided with an elongated hole communicating with said elongated hollow space, said connecting means comprises a spring and a pusher contained in said cylindrical member of said turnable member, said pusher normally being forced in said depression of said base, and said adjusting means consists of a vertical pin around which said turnable member is turnable.

2. A ski boot toe fixture as claimed in claim 1 3. A ski boot toe fixture as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base has, at the fore end portion thereof, wherein said toe holding means overhangs in two direca stopper for preventing the turnable member from tions from the rear end portion of the casing. slipping forward. 

1. A ski boot toe fixture comprising a base adapted to be fixed on the upper surface of a ski, a turnable member for holding a boot toe, said turnable member being arranged on said base and turnable around a vertical pin relative to the base, a connecting means interposed between said base and said turnable member to connect the base and the turnable member by means of resilient pressure, and a means for adjusting the ratio of the space between the axis of said vertical pin and said connecting means to the space between the position at which the boot toe is held and said axis of said vertical pin, wherein said base has a depression and a longitudinally elongated hole, said turnable member comprises a casing and a boot toe holding means, said casing enclosing an elongated hollow space and a cylindrical member, and the top surface of said casing being provided with an elongated hole communicating with said elongated hollow space, said connecting means comprises a spring and a pusher contained in said cylindrical member of said turnable member, said pusher normally being forced in said depression of said base, and said adjusting means consists of a vertical pin around which said turnable member is turnable.
 2. A ski boot toe fixture as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base has, at the fore end portion thereof, a stopper for preventing the turnable member from slipping forward.
 3. A ski boot toe fixTure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said toe holding means overhangs in two directions from the rear end portion of the casing. 